Clutch and brake assembly



1945. E. H. ERICKSON I v CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 24, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l EHEfzcaon 44' M? l Oct. 2, 1945. E ERICKSQN 2,386,099

. CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 24, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Way.

Patented Oct. 2, 1945 UNITED STATES. ATE Q i EmilH. Erickson, La Crosse,Wis assignor to Safticycles, Inc., La Crosse, Wis.

. Application November 24, 1943, Serial 511,615 2 Claims. (01. 192-17) This invention relates to a drive connection for b a powered bicycle. I An object of this invention is to provide an improved. clutch and operating means therefor whereby the operating means will be enclosed so that it will not become corroded or damaged by dirt or the like. I

Another object of this invention is to provide in a clutch, a cam operator for moving the clutch to released position, the operator being enclosed M in a sealed housing so that foreign particles cannot'injure or interfere with the movement of the I operator. 7

hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein is shown an. embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, va'riations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings: I V I. t

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of a clutch and brake assembly constructed accordingto an embodiment of this invention,

Figurez is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, g p t Figure 3 is a sectional, view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and I V .Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on theV1ine I,-4 of Figure 2. I V

. Referring to the drawings, the numeral ID designates generally a base or bearing mounting which is formed .of a pair of standards II and I2 connected together by a web I3. The base I includes lower flanges I 4 and I5 carried by the standards II and I2, through whichfastening members lfi are adapted to engage for securing the base III on a powered bicycle frame structure. The standard II includes a hearingl'l at the upper end thereof, and the standard I2 includes a bearing I Bat the upper end thereof. A-drive shaft I9 is journaled through the bearings I1 and I8, the shaft I9 having bore ZO'therethrough, and the shaft I9 preferably is mounted in antifriction bearings 2I and 22 carried by the bearings I1 and I8 respectively. A nut I9a is threaded onto shaft I9 and holdsbearing 2| against endwise movement.

A brake drum 23 is secured as by a key 24 and a set screw 25 to the shaft I9 between" the bearings I1 and I8. A drivensprocket 26 is secured in anysuitable manner to the'hub' 21 of the brake drum 23, and the sprocket 26 is adapted to connected by means of a chain or thelike to a sprocket on the rear wheel of the vehicle A brake ban'd generallydesignated 28 en gages about the drum 23 and includesafibrous brake "band element 29, which is secured to the inner side of a resilient metal strap 30. The strap 30 is disposed inlooped relation oventh'e drum 23, beingprovid'ed with an eye 3 I at one end whichi's mounted about a pin 32. The pin 32 is disposed through apairpf cars .33 and 34 and is held against endwise movement by cotterpins 35 or the like. The opposite end of the ban d 30 is'provided with an 'eye' 36; through which a pin 31' engages. The pin 31 is disposed between a pair of parallel armsor levers 38 and 39 which are connected together by a connecting baror bight 4D. The two arms or levers 38 and-39 forrrl a rock lever structure generally designated as II, which isrockably mounted on a pin or shaft I2. The pinor shaft 42 ismounted on a pair ofears 43 and ,the ear beingfixed relative to the standard II and the ear 43 extending at right angles from the web I3. The pin 42 is held against endwise movement by means ofsa pair of cotter-pins or other fastening means 45. The arm 39 of the lever structure M is substantially longer in length. than thearm 38 and is provided with an opening 46 for receivinga connecting means to connect the arm 39 to a suitable brake operator.

A driving pulley orwheel 41 is loosely mounted on the shaft,I9 outwardly of the bearing I8. .I The wheel or pulley includes a hub-I8- within'which an antifriction bearing -49 is mounted. .The bearing 49 is held in the annular recess 50 formed in the hub 48 by meansof an annular bearing retainer plate 5I secured by fastening members 52 to the inner side of the hub 48. A cylindrical.

spacer sleeve 53 i mountedon the shaft I9 .between the bearing 22 and the bearing 49. The wheel or pulley 41 includes a V-shaped or grooved rim. 54 for receiving a flexible driving structure in the form of a belt or the like. Theubearing 22 is held against endwise movement in the annular recess 55 formedlin the bearing I8 bymeans of an: annular retainer plate 56 securedbyfastning members 51 to the outside of the bearing I8. The wheel or pulley 41 has formed on the outer face thereof inwardly of the rim or grooved portion 54 an annular clutch face 58. A complementary clutch member 59 confronts the clutch face or element 58 and includes an annular plate 60 to which a fibrous clutch element BI is adapted to be secured. The annular clutch member or plate 60 is formed as an integral part of the hub 62, being connected to the hub 62 by spokes 63 or the like.

The clutch member 59 is held against rotation with respect to the shaft 19 by ineans or a key 64, which is loosely extended through a slot- 65 formed in the shaft [9. The opposite ends of the key 64 slidably engage in diametrically opposed The clutch one end bears against the hub 62. and at the other or outer end bears against a Washer 68 mounted on a bolt 69 which is threaded into the adjacent end of the shaft l9. In order to provide a means whereby the clutch member 59 may be selectively moved to a released position, I have provided a clutch operating'rod or shaft ill which is slidable endwise in the bore 20 of the shaft 19. One end of the rod or shaft 10 bears against the inner edge of the key'66, and the other end of the shaft 10 projects outwardly of the opposite end of the shaft 19..

A cam or eccentric H mounted on a cam shaft 12 is adapted to engage the adjacent end of the clutch operator 10 so that rotary adjustment of thecam 1| will shift the operator!!! endwise. The 'cam shaft 12 is journaled in the bearings 13 and 14, carried by a cap 15 which is 'fixed as by fastening members 16 to the outer side of the bearing 11. The cap 15 "is formed on its inner side with an annular rib H, which engages within the recess '18, which is provided for the bearing 21. The interior of the cap 15 is adapted to be filled with a lubricant so that the cam II will be constantly lubricated and the cap 15 provides a means whereby dirt or other foreign matter will be prevented from :inliuring or interfering with the operation of the cam and the cam shaft. The outer end of the cam shaft 72 is provided with a pin or connector 19 by means of which the shaft 12 :may be connected to a suitable operator for selectively rocking the shaft 12 to clutch releasing position.

In the use and operation of this assembly, the sprocket 26 is connected by'means of a chain or suitable flexible drive to a sprocket on the rear wheel of the vehicle, the base I0 being mounted on a platform provided between the front and rear wheels of a motor bicycle and a driving belt trained about pulley 41. During the normal operation 0f the device the spring 61 will maintain the clutch member 59 in clutching engagement with the clutch member 58 so that the driving wheel or pulley 41 will rotate as a unit .withthe drive shaft 19. At this time, the cam H is in substantially the position shown in Figure 2. The rocking of the cam ll in a clockwise direction will move the clutch operator Illen'dwise within the shaft I9, thereby moving the key '64 outwardly and compressing the spring 61. The key 64 may be tight enough in the keyways 66 so that the clutch member 59 will also be moved outwardly to a released position. However, the key 64 may have a sliding lit in the keyways 66, and under this condition the key 64 will move the inner end of the spring 61 outwardly, compressing the spring 61 and relieving the clutch member 59 of pressure against the clutch member 58 so that the wheel or pulley 41 may vfreely rotate on the shaft I9, or the shaft l9 may freely rotate within the hub 58 of the wheel or pulley 41.

The assembly hereinbefore described is an exceedingly compact assembly, being of very simple construction and designed for a fairly small power unit such as a unit for use with a small bicycle or 2-wheeled vehicle. The device hereinbefore described is not onlycompact, but is of simple and sturdy construction so that it will not readily get out of order and will provide all of the safety factors necessary in a construction of this kind."

The cap l5 'whi'ch provides bearings for the eccentric cam shaft holds bearing 2| to a predetermined slidable movement within the bearing I1, provides a reservoir for a lubricant which lubricates not only the cam shaft bearings, the cam and, pushrod, but also flows along the hollow shaft and lubricates the key and the shaft where the keywayedhub of the clutch member 59 slides on the shaft. It also prevents dust and dirt, which is always troublesome at this point of the vehicle, from entering.

What I claim is:

1. In a drive assembly, a hollow drive shaft, bearings for said shaft, a driven wheel rotatably carried by said shaft, a clutch element carried by said wheel, a second clutch element including acylindrical hub having opposed keyways therein, a key slidably carried by said shaft and slidably engaging the .keyways of said second clutch element for holding the latter against rotation relative to said shaft, said hub constituting the sole means for holding said .key against lateral movement relative to said shaft, a spring engaging said key and said second clutch element for constantly urging :the latter toward said first clutch element, a clutch releasing rod slidable within said shaft and engaging at one end against said 'key,a-cam engagingthe opposite end of said rod for moving said rod to clutch disengaging position, and a housing enclosing-saidcam.

2. A drive assembly comprising a base including a air of upright standards, a webbing connecting said standards together, a bearing on the upper end of each standard, a hollow drive shaft iournaled through said bearings, a driven member rotatably carried by said shaft, a clutch element carried by said driven member, a second clutch element slidable on said shaft and formed with a hub having opposed keyways therein, a transversely extending key slidable lengthwise of said shaft loosely engaging said keyways of said second clutch element for holding the latter against rotation relative to said shaft, said hub constituting the sole means for holding said key against lateral movement, a spring constantly urging said second clutch element to clutching position with said first clutch element, a rod extending through said shaft engaging said key for relieving said second clutch element of the tension of said spring, a rockable cam engaging an end of said rod, a housing enclosing said cam, and a cam shaft journaled in said housing.

ElVIIL H; ERICKSON. 

